Champs Gundecha put up clean show!

The victorious Gundecha boys with their medals and trophy at Azad Maidan on Saturday. Pic/Shadab Khan

The fine defensive display of Gundecha Education Academy (Kandivli) once again came to the fore as they secured the boys under-12 second division title in the MSSA inter-school football tournament after they brushed aside the spirited challenge of Cathedral & John Connon (Fort) 3-1 via tie-breaker in the summit clash at Azad Maidan on Saturday.

Coming into the final with a great defensive record of not having conceded a single goal, Gundecha did extremely well to absorb the first-half pressure and manage a clean sheet in the regulation period. They struck in the penalties through centre-back Pratham Patel, captain Atharv Kapoor and Samik Kothari.

Cathedral, who had the better of the exchanges especially in the first half, but could not make it count, were poor in the tie-breaker as they missed three of their four penalties with only captain Aarav Bathija finding the target.

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Meanwhile, in a third-place encounter earlier, Don Bosco (Borivli) got the better of Campion School (Cooperage) by a solitary goal with the winner being scored by their captain Rydya Lobo, who netted early in the second half.

For Gundecha, this bunch of boys made history by becoming their first ever under-12 team not only to reach the final but also culminating their run with silverware, while Don Bosco, by virtue of this hard-fought win, have now qualified for the first division next year along with champions.

"In the first half, we were under pressure, but in the second half, we came back well and were on even terms with our opponents. In the semis, we had defeated Don Bosco and that win had given us the confidence heading into the final," coach of Gundecha Pratish Karande told mid-day.

Gundecha team manager Parag Kamble added, "Our goalkeeper Kiaan Bansal, who made a save in the penalties, had a fine game apart from our captain Atharv, who has been our highest goalscorer in the tournament. We have not conceded a single goal in the tournament."